Butterfly and Flame - Alina and Evan

Pandora's Box

A/N:
Thank you to all who have read even one chapter of my book. I have been quite busy the last week to be creative but I'm back to hopefully giving you more of this romance mystery! This chapter is a transition back to the underlying story and then back to the main focus. I hope you like it and can see where it all headed. Some revelations will occur and some more twists and turns will be in store as our Butterfly and Flame move along their journey of discovery and fate.
Enjoy!🔥🦋🦋🔥

Ashley had been in the office awaiting Christian's return from his meeting with the new marketing director. She had been sitting quietly for less than a half hour when he returned. He was surprised to see her but a bright smile shown on his face as he made his way over to hug and kiss her cheek. She looked up into his face immediately taking note of every feature that reminded her of his father, her beloved son. She returned his embrace and patted his arm. "Gran, what brings you into the city so early this morning? I thought you had sworn off this place." She looked across the desk at him and her smile slowly left her face as she prepared to share with him what she knew she must but dreaded to nevertheless. She set the folder she had been holding in her lap on his desk and rested her hands on it. "Christian I'm afraid I need to tell you something that I hoped would have been avoided but I can see no other alternative now. I have always maintained that you two boys would inherit everything that our family has built over the years. I have entrusted the philanthropic organizations that we have been supporters of for years into your capable hands and would like to see that continue, but I will step away completely from those works as well as anything to do with the business effective immediately." Christian was not entirely shocked but he was surprised at how calm and unemotional his grandmother was as she told him her decision to step down without warning or meetings or anything. "Of course we will have to meet formerly with the board and your brother must take my shares otherwise chaos will ensue....that is why I'm here. I need you to go to him and bring him home. Now". Christian stared at his grandmother and this time he was shocked. Shocked that she would issue such a directive that involved such overbearing pressure to his brother. This was something he knew that Evan would outright reject. What he couldn't understand was why his grandmother was taking this approach knowing full well he would fight it. Ashley saw the wheels in Christian's brain moving and she decided to reiterate her intent to get what she wanted. "Evan will accept. He will have no choice. I will not allow this company to be run by anyone other than you two"... "Grand, unless there is something your not telling me Evan will not go along with your command without...." she interrupted him and picked up the folder she had first set on the desk. "Christian, your brother will either decide to take my majority shares and take his place where he belongs or he will by default push you into a secondary position in your own company. I'm betting he won't let you down. In fact I'm so certain that he will accept that I have already moved to offer my shares up...." This time it was Christian who interrupted. He stood and came around the desk towering over Ashley and with great restraint put his hand on the desk while looking directly at her and said "Grand your playing with fire. You can't know what Evan will do. He will be furious and all he'll see is red. It will be too late to come back from this if your wrong." This time it was Ashley who stood up and faced her grandson. She picked up the envelope and gave it to Christian and calmly told him "I know in my heart that once Evan understands what he would be putting you at risk of he will accept it. Nevertheless I have also provided you with everything you need to help you convince Evan of what he must do. Here in this envelope. I don't think you'll need it but a little bit of insurance never hurt anyone". Christian looked at the envelope and then back to her and with a frown on his face and slowly nodding his head left and right he asked her "should I be afraid of what's in here?" Ashely quietly walked to the door and then turned back to face Christian and with a slight smile on her lips replied "that depends entirely on how you take the information inside. Christian I'm sorry to put you in the middle of this. But this families future hangs in the balance. I don't have much time so I won't waste what I have". She saw that he was about to ask her what she meant by that and she simply raised her hand and said "Most of my life I have spent trying to protect the privacy of my family. This is no different. I prefer that you never have to read that but if you do then please read it and take it in and then come to me with questions. I know you will have them and you will also perhaps view this old woman in a different light. I only ask you to hold your judgment until you know everything and then I'll accept whatever you decide. However, I will give you one warning. If you fail to convince Evan on your own, then do not hesitate to share the information I have just placed in your hands, but in doing so know that you will open a Pandora's box that may never be closed and the brother that you have always looked up to and loved may be the biggest casualty of it all. I have loved you both as much as your parents ever did and I will bear every trial and punishment to insure that you all remain a united family. Now and when I'm gone". She turned on her heel and walked out of the office leaving Christian stunned and completely confused at the ominous words she had uttered. He was floored and reeling from her implied words regarding her health. However right now his only thought was of her cryptic words "in doing so, you will open up a Pandora's box that may never be closed and the brother you have always looked up to and loved may be the biggest casualty of it all".

Christian starred at the door she had just walked out through and felt his heart racing. He immediately called for his assistant. "Julia, please alert our pilot that I need preparation to leave to California no later than this evening. I know it's short notice but he has my permission to get whatever processes expedited to clear a way for our departure. I must be in the air no later than this evening. Is that understood?". Hanging up the phone he set the folder on his desk. He hadn't even opened it and yet he felt that if he did he would loosen a storm that might never be contained. He'd be damned if he would do anything to endanger his brother. What could she possibly have in the folder that could do such damage? More importantly why was she willing to share it? Why would she put it in his hands? She had been in their lives from the beginning. More than Evan, he had become her right hand and felt he knew her more than anyone ever had. To think that she would purposefully give anyone, including him; information that could hurt Evan was unthinkable. Christian was the spitting image of his father, yet he always knew that she favored Evan. Maybe it was because he was so devastated by the death of their parents and he understood more than him at the time. Whatever the reason none of this right now made any sense to him. He starred at the folder and reasoned that she never did anything without considering the outcome. She had built a damn empire by strategically making moves that she envisioned playing out ten steps ahead. This was a hand she was playing and somehow she knew what steps he would follow.
His grandmother was ferocious when it came to her family. Suddenly he was struck by the use of the word family. She had stated it several times. It was more than the word itself it was the way she said it. It was her use of it in such a different way than she had ever used it before. His brain was firing away a number of possible scenarios but none of them fit this particular puzzle. Again he looked down at the folder and a slight shiver passed through his body. If possible he would avoid opening it. He would do whatever he needed to do to make Evan see what lay ahead. He would not open it unless he absolutely had too. And then when he did, once he read what it contained; only then would he decide if he would share it at all with his brother. That he was one hundred percent sure of.